


I Am Red, You Are Blue

by thesadvoyager



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, I Tried, M/M, Minor Allura/Shiro (Voltron), i must really care about a show if i'm actually writing about it, maybe some ooc moments?, red and blue - Freeform, some parts might not make the most sense, yeah i know it's cliche
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-08 11:41:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7756393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesadvoyager/pseuds/thesadvoyager
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <span class="small">“Yeah, I am red, you are blue</span>
  <br/>
  <span class="small">I'm old school and you're so new” –</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <span class="small"> Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga</span></p><p>Lance and Keith make a good team, but they are still more different from each other than they thought. And maybe, they're one in the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just Another Day

 

 Living day to day on the edge of your seat was easy for Lance. Not really, but when you’re stuck in space on a mission to protect the human race and the rest of the universe, you don’t have many options. Of course it’s scary. Of course it kept him awake some nights. But he’d never admit that. Not to anyone. Especially to Keith, a paladin who expertly wears a mask in the face of fear. He is so tired, but simultaneously energized from the thrill of battle. He almost hates how it’s such a rush for him. This adventure is a complicated love/hate relationship, and not just with his robotic lion.

 

* * *

 

 

On another seemingly normal day in space, Keith wakes up early as usual to train. After an hour of vigorous work, the other paladins come out of hibernation. Hunk is preparing a breakfast that he tries to make as edible as possible. Pidge tinkers with another of one their projects. Shiro meets with Allura and Coran to discuss future plans and other important space stuff. Lance is last to appear from his room, with sleep still visible in his eyes and a yawn escaping from his mouth. Just another normal day.

 

 The breakfast table displays an impressive array of green goo, in which Hunk swears by. “I don’t like to brag, but if you close your eyes, you’ll swear you’re eating chocolate chip pancakes.”

 “Um, whatever you say Hunk.” Pidge says with a grimace. Keith just absentmindedly twirls the goo around his plate with a fork, too occupied by his own thoughts to eat.

 

“You know what I thought of before I went to bed last night?” Lance interjects. “We all must be like really famous now back on Earth, you know?”

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Keith mumbles.

 

“C’mon man. A group of regular teenagers miraculously disappear, only to be recruited as saviors of the entire universe!”

 

The table remains quiet for a few long and awkward moments.

 

“I mean, yeah our families are probably worried sick. And the thought of an unknown future is enough to make _me_ sick, but hey. It’s a hell of a story.”

Keith rolls his eyes. “Yeah, and the first page of that story reads ‘Lance is an idiot’.”

Lance’s expression turns to a frown, and Pidge can’t help but snicker behind their hands.

 

“You know, it wouldn’t kill you to be a little optimistic sometimes.” Lance complains with hands on his hips.

 

“I am optimistic. I’m just tired of hearing stupid things.”

 

With that, Keith exits the room after clearing his full plate. Lance sits back down in his seat with a sigh.

 

“You guys don’t think I’m stupid, do you?”

 

“Of course not.” Shiro genuinely replied. 

“No way!” Hunk said with a mouth full of goo.

Pidge crosses their feet onto the table and stretches their arms. “Meh, you have your moments.”

“Wow.”

 

Coran twists the end of his mustache with a grin. “What a happy celestial family.”

 

 


	2. A New Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance just wants an explanation.

By now, Lance was used to Keith’s snide comments and attitude. It was the dynamic of their relationship. He says something dumb, and Keith retaliates. Then life went on. This time however, felt different. Lance couldn’t help but feel a tinge of guilt. The way Keith just got up and left the breakfast table before. It was almost like he was actually mad. 

But more importantly, Lance couldn’t figure out why he was even still thinking about it. So what if Keith was mad? He’d have to get over it, because that’s what rivals do. Plus they were busy on a mission. Time to (metaphorically for Pidge’s sake) man up. 

It was a few hours later when Lance saw Keith again, with the other paladins. Training time once more. Not that Lance didn’t want to do his duties. He was in a sort of mental rut. As in maybe he’s not one to talk about “maning up”. Lance couldn’t even admit it to himself, but deep down he was feeling some sort of fear. Let’s face it, Sendak was a scary dude. And Zarkon didn’t sound like the friendliest guy in the universe. With these feelings, Lance also felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. There’s a chance he could die. A chance he might not ever see Earth again. A chance he won’t see his family. What if he’s not as strong as he tells himself? 

Lance comes to the conclusion that he is just a fucking walking contradiction. No doubt about it. He believes his poker face has been pretty convincing so far. He hopes so. For some reason, he always felt like he couldn’t look weak. Especially when Keith was around. It could be his ego is too big. Perhaps he’s still internally jealous of his piloting abilities. Maybe it’s something else….

 

After training was over, Lance took a deep breath and approached Keith. He was done with feeling guilty and dumb. 

“Hey Keith?”

“Yeah?” 

He looked over while using a towel to absorb the sweat that had formed on his temple. 

“About this morning at the table…I’m sorry if I made you mad or something.”

Keith made a face.

“I’m over it. I’ve just been tired from all this training.” he explained.

“I don’t believe you for some reason.” Lance said.

Keith brushed past him, clearly annoyed.

“I don’t really care what you believe to be honest.” 

“Awww, come on. As a team, everyone is required to be open with each other. No secrets!”

Keith turned back around, gripping his jacket with crossed arms, rolling his eyes.

“Why do you care so much all of a sudden anyways?”

“I don’t know. I guess I don’t want you to be really pissed off at me.” 

He felt defeated. Lance was going to be persistent and not let this go. A stupid idea found its way into Keith’s brain, but not stupid enough to ignore.

“Fine. If you have to know, come by my room later. But after this, you can’t mention it anymore.”

“Alright, I promise. Jeez.”

With a sigh, Keith exited the training arena. 

“What is that guy’s issue Shiro?”

Shiro was sipping water from a bottle, recovering from his training regimen. He was close enough to overhear most of Lance and Keith’s conversation.

“I’m not sure Lance. Maybe you should talk to him like you said you would.”

“Yeah, that would be the right thing to do, huh? You know what Shiro, you’re a real people person.”

“Uh, thanks. I try, I guess.”


	3. Mary Jane Holland

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments on the last chapter. It really encouraged me to keep going. 
> 
> justanotherobsessionclub.tumblr.com

At dinner time, Lance decides to keep his mouth shut. It was awkward, eyes darting from the center of the table, to Keith who was sitting on the opposite side. Keith played with his food more than anything. Of course it wasn’t the most appetizing meal, but this kid needs to eat. Shiro observed his declining appetite a few days ago, but Keith told everyone not to worry about it.

 

Allura places a hand upon Shiro’s shoulder, looking proud.

 

“Another day of progress. I can see that everyone is improving.”

 

Shiro looks noticeably flustered, but just shrugs his shoulders with a smile.

 

“Oh you know. We’re just doing our jobs.”

 

She sits down next to Shiro, elbows on the table with her head resting on her hands.

 

“I don’t say it enough, but all of you have been so strong. Trying so hard. And it makes me feel like I’m doing something right. I think my father would be proud.”

 

Tears well up in the corner of Allura’s eyes.

 

“He would be very proud, Princess. And I promise to never stop trying.”

 

“Me too!” Hunk exclaimed with enthusiasm.

 

“Me three.” Pidge said in the middle of a bite.

 

Lance tells himself that maybe his fears and self-doubt are rational, but might be worth it if he can continue to keep it together.

 

“Me four.” He says.

 

All eyes are on Keith now. He makes a small smile before standing out of his chair.

 

“Make it five.”

 

Allura sighs, maybe out of relief or satisfaction.

 

“Thank you everyone.”

 

Nobody, except for Lance, notices Keith quietly retreat to his room, amidst the emotional moment.

 

 

 

 

The ship is quiet. Lance’s footsteps echo through the hallway. He heads for Keith’s room, pausing at the entrance before knocking three times. Behind the door, Keith tells him to come in. That’s when it hits him, a pungent and distinctive smell.

 

Keith sits on his bed, nonchalantly lighting what appears to be a blunt. He takes a deep inhale, waits a moment, and exhales. Smoke rises to the ceiling.

 

“Dude, what the hell?”

 

Keith shrugs, blunt still in between his fingers.

 

“Do you want some?”

 

Lance is taken aback, not sure how to proceed. He decides to just go with it.

 

“Uh, sure.”

 

He joins Keith on the bed, fumbling as the weed gets passed to him.

 

“Have you ever smoked before?” Keith asks.

 

Lance feigns surprise.

 

“Of course I have. Just hand over the lighter.”

 

Keith can’t help but be amused as he watches Lance struggle to take a hit. When he finally does, he has a coughing fit.

 

“That was amazing.”

 

“Oh, shut up.” Lance manages to say between coughs.

 

Keith takes it back, breathing in heavily again.

 

“Where did you even get this?”

 

A cloud of smoke exits his lips.

 

“I’ve had it since Earth. Was going to save it for a rainy day, but that can’t happen in space, can it?”

 

Lance smirks.

 

“Maybe you were so nervous to talk to me, you had no choice but to get stoned.”

 

Keith rolls his eyes as he hits it again.

 

“Yeah, right.”

Lance sits on the bed so his back is resting against the wall.

 

“So, what was the problem this morning?”

 

Keith looks over with watery eyes, a slight redness to them.

 

“You just always say stupid shit.”

 

“Ok, you’re gonna have to be more specific than that.”

 

“Fine. I guess it was kind of annoying how you were talking about fame and everyone back on Earth caring.”

 

Lance looked down at the bed’s comforter, thinking for a moment.

 

“I still don’t see the problem.”

 

Annoyed, Keith extinguished the end of the blunt on the table.

 

“I guess I have to spell it out for you. I have no family Lance. Nobody on Earth gives a shit about my existence.”

 

Realization hits Lance, now feeling a trace of guilt and obliviousness.

 

“But I can’t really complain. It might even be a good thing. If something happens to me while fighting Zarkon, nobody would be devastated. I don’t have much to lose. Plus the others have it worse than me. Who knows what hell Shiro went through? And Pidge.”

 

Lance lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. He understands, but is still frustrated.

 

“Obviously we would care. You and I might fight sometimes, and the whole group might have its disagreements. But at the end of the day, we’re still a team. Even beyond all this Voltron stuff.”

 

Keith nods, either out of agreement or understanding.

 

Lance felt like he had to say something now, to be equal.

 

“I have a secret.”

 

“Oh boy.” Keith lays on his back, head on pillow and arms crossed. “This should be good.”

 

“So I know I seem fearless and strong most of the time. But I get scared.”

 

Keith lets out a sarcastic gasp.

 

“No, really? I would have never known that.”

 

Lance chucks a pillow at Keith, but somehow it misses.

“We were having one of your ‘bonding moments’ and you had to go ruin it.”

 

Keith laughs for what seems the first time in a while.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. And maybe…I’m a little scared too.”

 

Suddenly, Lance didn’t feel as alone as he had before.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know how terrible I am.


End file.
